A typical harvesting of hay involves cutting the hay and drying it in the field, after which it is typically pressed and bound into bales for easier handling and storage. Although field bales so compressed may be suitable for local handling and shipping, for long distance shipping hay bales of increased density are desirable in order to reduce shipping costs. For long distance shipping, especially to the overseas market for domestically produced hay, the hay must be packaged in high density units or bales capable of efficient packaging into shipping containers in order to provide for economical shipping of the hay. Efficient transportation of the hay also requires that the hay bales be of substantially uniform size and weight.
One method well known in the art for compacting hay to a high density is to create dry pellets or cubes of hay via an extrusion process. Pellets have a relatively high density, and preserve adequately as long as they are kept dry. Pellets, however, are expensive to produce. Additionally, cattle may not be able to chew or digest pellets easily because the pellets are hard and dry. Haylage, which is fermented hay, is more palatable to and digestible by livestock because it is moist and tender. Haylage, however, contains a high percentage of water, causing increased shipping costs. Haylage may also spoil rapidly when exposed to air.
In order to economically ship hay long distances it has become common to double compress hay bales. That is, the standard field-baled hay is rebated into a bale of approximately one-half the prior size. Such a double compressed hay bale may often reach a density of 22 lbs/cu. ft. An even greater density is desirable for shipping in standard cargo containers used for overseas shipping.
Standard methods of compacting hay may also lead to decreased leaf retention. A substantial amount of the nutrients in many varieties of hay is found in the leafy matter attached to the stems or stalks of the hay. Forcefully compacting hay by pressing the hay against an unyielding object may result in the severing of the leafy matter from the stem or stalk. Such a result is undesirable because once the hay is placed in a trough for feeding the cattle the leafy matter, and therefore a substantial amount of the nutrients, will tend to locate in the bottom of the trough and not be eaten by the cattle. Accordingly, a means for compacting hay to increased densities while maintaining a greater amount of leaf retention than provided by conventional methods of compacting hay is desirable.